Tuesday, April 19, 2011

Week Four Reading - The Art of Possibilities 9-12















“A distinction is not a standard to live up to, but a framework of possibility to live into.”

The Art of Possibilities, Rosamund Zander, and Benjamin Zander, 2000.

Instead of commenting on just one part of the last chapters of this book, I would like to write down a few simple thoughts on the whole book:

This book has really got me thinking about I interact with the people around me, and how I react to the environment that surrounds me.
I have to remind myself that reality is simply my reality and the perspective I view it from can be so fluid from day to day and moment to moment.  I believe that it is up to me to create my world and to make sure that I try to tackle it from a positive and educated viewpoint and keep the WE factor in mind always.
I cannot say I have had a book that has stuck with me so well as the Art of Possibilities. 

7 comments:

  1. It would be easy to say the connection you feel with this book lies in the musical connection you have with Ben Zander. So much of what he writes and speaks of relates to his experiences in music. So much of what you have committed your life to is also in that realm.

    However, the fact that The Art of Possibility has struck a chord with all of the rest of us is in its simplicity of advice. The common sense that both writers impart to us makes perfect sense. If only local, national and world leaders (and school administrators) would buy into all this. What would result would be the ultimate in Possibility!

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  2. Mike,
    So true! I really got an itch to buy a bunch of copies of this book and hand them out to everybody.

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  3. I like you comment on that "reality is simply my reality". We are in control of making it positive, negative, neutral or a mix. This is a great concept to teach to our students, especially the ones who struggle academically, socially, mentally, etc. We need to be that driving force to them that positivity breeds positivity. Even when we don't feel it, which I know there are many days where I don't, we have to be positive and realize only ourselves are in control of our own destinies.

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  4. @ Curt,

    I couldn’t agree with you more. I adore this book. I need a lot of work in the area of making my own weather. Lately, I have let the junk get me down. I haven’t handled disappointment or frustration very well. Your comments to this inspirational book have once again reminded me that life is what we make it. I have actually asked our literacy coach if we can do this book as a book study. I think there are so many ways you could interweave professional development content within a positive life approach. Teachers are feeling beaten down, and this might be a book that refocuses us all on what is important.

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  5. I too was quite inspired by the Art of Possibilities. You are so right about how fluid our perspective and reality can be. Sometimes that is a good thing...it makes us teachable and moldable when our perspective needs changing. I wish you the best of luck in your journey for a new and enlightened viewpoint that benefits yourself and those around you.

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  6. I agree with your observations wholeheartedly. One of the most important concepts to me has been the one about my reality and perspective on what is happening. This is extremely important in dealing with students, as their reality and perspective are completely different. I now look at student behavior very differently and try to take my person stake out of it. I also gained tremendous insight from the book, A New Earth, by Eckhart Tolle, which has very similar concepts.

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